Pamlico County Health Data
Pamlico County, North Carolina
Health Score
40/100
Below Avg
Life Expectancy
73.8 yr
Uninsured Rate
12.5%
Health Statistics
Life Expectancy
73.8 yr
State avg 74.4 yr
National avg 77.5 yr
Uninsured Rate
12.5%
State avg 12.5%
National avg 9%
Primary Care Providers
32
per 100K population
National avg 82
Mental Health Providers
121
per 100K population
National avg 350
Data Story
About Health in Pamlico County, North Carolina
Pamlico's life expectancy lags both benchmarks
At 73.8 years, Pamlico County's life expectancy trails the national average by 2.6 years and falls 0.6 years below North Carolina's state average of 74.4 years. Nearly one in five residents (18.2%) report poor or fair health, above the national rate of 17.1%. These metrics place Pamlico among North Carolina's more challenged counties on health outcomes.
Pamlico ranks in the state's lower health tiers
Pamlico's life expectancy of 73.8 years sits below the North Carolina average, and its 18.2% poor/fair health rate exceeds the state median. The uninsured rate of 12.5% matches the state average exactly, suggesting that coverage gaps alone don't drive Pamlico's lower health outcomes. Access to and quality of healthcare services appear to be key limiting factors.
Rural isolation limits provider availability
With just 32 primary care providers per 100,000 residents, Pamlico lacks the provider density to meet community health needs effectively. Mental health providers number only 121 per 100,000—among the state's lowest and one-sixth the capacity of leading counties like Orange (830 per 100K). Many residents must travel 45+ miles to access specialists or psychiatric care.
Rural healthcare desert creates daily barriers
Pamlico residents often wait weeks for primary care appointments and have virtually no local mental health services, forcing behavioral health needs to go unaddressed. The combination of limited providers and a health-challenged population creates a cycle where preventive care fails and acute care becomes the norm. Transportation to distant medical centers further complicates access.
Coverage is step one toward better health
If you're among Pamlico's 12.5% uninsured residents, health coverage is your first step toward accessing available care—and advocating for more. Visit ncdhhs.gov or call 211 to explore Medicaid or marketplace options. Covered residents can work with local health departments and federally qualified health centers to navigate the limited provider network.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Data Sources
Health data sourced from the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
Data is informational only. Not medical or health advice. Coverage varies by county and reporting year.